Calista Catherine and Cassandra Claire Brady: Prospect Park Zoo

About Calista and Cassandra

Calista Catherine was born at 5:32 am on February 15, 2007. She weighed 8 lb 1 oz and was 21" long. She was born with a "true" knot in her umbilical cord, which is rare (it only happens in 1 out of ~8,000 births) and is supposedly both auspicious and a sign that she will be wise. She was excited to show up for the birthday of her grandmother Eloise, so they now have that in common along with a middle name.

Cassandra Claire was born at 5:37 am on October 17, 2009. She weighed 8 lb 4 oz and was 20.5" long. She is a quintuple Libra - her sun, moon, rising, Mercury and Venus are all in Libra - so we think she will be very fair, balanced and aesthetic. Her middle name is Brisen's paternal grandmother's middle name (Evelyne Claire Vannice).

Both girls were born at the wonderful CPMC in San Francisco, in Laurel Village, in the exact same delivery room (one of only two big rooms!) which their mom thinks is a very special thing.

Calista and Cassandra both derive from Greek mythology. Calista means "most beautiful," and is part of a myth involving Zeus, Hera and the Ursa Major constellation. Cassandra was the daughter of Hecuba and Priam, the king of Troy, and endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated by Apollo never to be believed. (We've promised our Cassandra to take her predicitions seriously!)

Friday, March 7, 2008

Prospect Park Zoo

On our last full day in NY, Michelle, Kirsten and I took Calista to the sweetest little zoo in Brooklyn, the Prospect Park Zoo. Once again, Calista began by sleeping, but soon awoke to enjoy the animals. Personally, I fell in love with the seal, kangaroo (with a baby in its pouch!) and the porcepine. Also the tamarin monkeys. It actually started to snow when we were there, but soon cleared up. I can't wait to come back when Calista is older so she can go on their "Discovery Trail" and pretend to be a prairy dog and see how far she can jump -- as far a flea? As far as a kangaroo?